Geiranger – Norway

Welcome to the Geiranger cruise port guide. Geiranger is the smallest but most impressive place imaginable. If you are taking a cruise to Norway to see the Norwegian fjords make sure Geiranger is on your itinerary. It simply doesn’t get more impressive than this. The reason why Geiranger is different from your other fjord villages: the towering high waterfalls, the emerald-green scenery and near-sheer fjord walls. The narrow and deep blue Geirangerfjord is the only fjord in Norway that is listed on the UNESCO world heritage list. It is a 15 km long branch of the Storfjord and because of its steep sides it considered to be the most spectacular one of all. The village of Geiranger is nothing special. Imagine this is a small place where about 250 people live year round. In the winter it is isolated, cold with hardly any visitors, but in the summer this is perhaps the most popular destination in Scandinavia. The reason you will be visiting Geiranger is not for the town itself, but because of everything and anything you’ll find just outside of Geiranger. There is not a picture that you can take that wouldn’t be postcard worthy. Whether you are visiting the towering Mt. Dalsnibba, or heading the other way towards dramatic Eagle’s bend or just being in the famous Geiranger fjord all day long, it will not fail to amaze. Definitely make sure you do not stay in town, but get yourself on a bus, organise a hike or rent a boat. Whatever you do, make sure you are going out there. When in Geiranger you are in the Norwegian dream.

This will be your view from the tender platform with your ship at anchor in the fjord.

This is the pier where you will arrive in Geiranger. This is where you will find the tourist information centre and some souvenir shops straight on the dock.

Norwegian language

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Cruise Port Guide Geiranger – Norway: tender port

When you visit Geiranger you are always tendering as there is no pier big enough for your ship. Since 2013 there is however the possibility of your ship to rent a floating pier, but as this will cost the ship a small fortune most ships will choose to tender. All tenders will arrive right in town in front of the souvenir shops and the tourist information centre.

The centre of town, if you can even call it a centre, is right there. You’ll find that the town exist out of supermarket, a couple of souvenir shops, a hotel, a camping, a chocolate shop and that is about it. Therefore staying in town is not really what we could recommend anybody.

Transportation

It is a small town so facilities are probably not what you are used to back home. Check out what options you have underneath:

Public bus system

There is a bus stop, but don’t count on any public transportation to be there and to be back on time as there might be a bus coming by once or twice a day.

Geiranger Taxis

There are taxis available through the tourist information point that you’ll find on the dock. Please know they are limited and so reservations or booking pre hand are advised. Also know it is about +/- 700 NOK (100 USD) per hour and therefore a lot more expensive than a bus tour.

Hop on hop off bus

There is a hop on hop off bus available in Geiranger. Forget about the usual concept of Hop on hop off busses though. If you buy a ticket it is valid for 1 ride. The bus takes you to the most visited and famous viewpoints where you’ll get about 15 minutes of free time. Order the tickets online or on the dock. The bus is not wheelchair accessible.

Bus tours

There are plenty of bus tours offered on the dock. The most impressive bus tour that is available in our opinion is the one that goes to Mt. Dalsnibba and to the Eagle’s bend. Know that often you can buy your tickets on the dock, but why not pre buy them online? Make sure to buy tickets for a time not to early in the morning as some cruise lines are not the easiest when it comes to letting off independent travellers. Order your tickets online through: http://www.geirangerfjord.no/english

Hiking in Geiranger

There are truly some of the most impressive and beautiful hiking paths in the world situated in and around Geiranger. For those of you looking for an easy hike take the new “Waterfall walk” from town up to the Fjord Centre in about 30 minutes. The beginning of the waterfall walk is also marked for you in the map above.

Or start planning a hike with the Geiranger hiking map available on the dock in big print outs, for sale at the tourist information or available online so you can already start to plan ahead:http://www.geirangerfjord.no/hiking-map

Destination and distances from tender pier:

Out of town Eagles Bend – 7 km North West Flydals viewpoint – 4km South East Dalsnibba – +/- 20 km South East

FAQ about Geiranger

– How long is the tender ride? Depending on your position in the fjord between 2 and 10 minutes.

– Weather wise: should I take a tour in the morning or the afternoon? You never know in Geiranger. There can be 4 seasons in a day here. When you have a good sunny day the photo’s are better in the morning, when you have a bad day chances are it will clear up in the afternoon. You really cant tell, although if I would book for myself I would book the afternoon.

– How deep is the fjord? Rule of thumb is that the fjords are just as deep as the mountains are high.

– What does Geiranger mean? It means spear-shaped fjord in old Norwegian.

Scenic cruising Geirangerfjord

It will take your ship about 5 hours to get from open sea to Geiranger. Click here to see what your sailing route to Geiranger is and what there is to see along the way.

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